‘The Lies…Need To End Today’: Melania Trump Stuns With Appearance To Deny Jeffrey Epstein Claims

WASHINGTON—The First Lady of the United States denied any connection to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein in an unexpected statement on Thursday afternoon, warning the public: “The lies linking me with the disgraceful Jeffrey Epstein need to end today.”

“The individuals lying about me are devoid of ethical standards, humility, and respect,” First Lady Melania Trump said in an address to the country. “I do not object to their ignorance, but rather, I reject their mean-spirited attempts to defame my reputation.”

“I have never been friends with Epstein,” she went on. “Donald and I were invited to the same parties as Epstein from time to time, since overlapping in social circles is common in New York City and Palm Beach.”

Her statement marks the first time that Melania Trump, as First Lady, has publicly addressed Epstein.

It is unclear what prompted the First Lady to speak out on the topic at this point in time — Epstein’s name had mostly departed the national news cycle, and both the White House and President Donald Trump have shown a strong distaste for discussing the topic. That distaste was exacerbated by the fervor of Democratic lawmakers, who have attempted to use the Epstein news cycle in their favor against the president.

The First Lady also said on Thursday that she never had a relationship with Epstein’s cohort, Ghislaine Maxwell, and she referenced an email she had apparently sent to Maxwell, saying that it “cannot be categorized as anything more than a casual correspondence.”

“My polite reply to her email doesn’t amount to anything more than a trivial note,” she added. “I am not Epstein’s victim. Epstein did not introduce me to Donald Trump. I met my husband, by chance, at a New York City party in 1998. This initial encounter with my husband is documented in detail in my book, ‘MELANIA.'”

“The first time I crossed paths with Epstein was in the year 2000, at an event Donald and I attended together,” the First Lady explained. “At the time, I had never met Epstein and had no knowledge of his criminal undertakings. Numerous fake images and statements about Epstein and me have been circulating on social media for years now. Be cautious about what you believe.  These images and stories are completely false.”

Melania Trump emphasized that she is “not a witness or a named witness” connected to any of Epstein’s crimes.

(Photo by Mandel NGAN / AFP via Getty Images)

“My name has never appeared in court documents, depositions, victim statements, or FBI interviews surrounding the Epstein matter,” she said. “I have never had any knowledge of Epstein’s abuse of his victims.  I was never involved in any capacity — I was not a participant, was never on Epstein’s plane, and never visited his private island. I have never been legally accused or convicted of a crime in connection with Epstein’s sex trafficking, abuse of minors, and other repulsive behavior.”

Those who attempt to link her to Epstein are trying to damage her name for political and financial reasons, she said, calling the claims “false smears” from “mean-spirited and politically motivated individuals and entities.”

The First Lady says that she and her attorneys have successfully fought back against Epstein-related claims against her, noting that they will continue to fight to protect her reputation.

“To date, several individuals and companies have been legally obligated to publicly apologize and retract their lies about me, such as The Daily Beast, James Carville, and HarperCollins UK,” she said.

She also called for Congress to hold a hearing for the Epstein victims, one “specifically centered around the survivors.” She called for the victims to testify under oath in front of Congress and have their testimonies “permanently entered into the Congressional Record.”

“Now is the time for Congress to act,” she said. “Epstein was not alone. Several prominent male executives resigned from their powerful positions after this matter became widely politicized. Of course, this doesn’t amount to guilt, but we still must work openly and transparently to uncover the truth.”